The automatic transmission in my 1979 300SD W116 shifts hard if I accelerate slowly. The faster I accelerate, the smoother the shifts. I have heard that the transmission shifts partially by vacuum.

My door lock diaphrams have holes in them and the climate control servo was removed and the vacuum lines that once went to it are open. Can air leaking from the locking system and climate control affect the transmission shifts, or are they on a separate system than the transmission?

I am wondering if I should disconnect the locking system and climate control vacuum lines, then plug the hole. If they cannot affect the transmission, then I don't need to do this. And then if this is the case, maybe I will need to look for air leaks from the vacuum pump to the transmission?

I should take care of this before I tear my new flex discs.